Bell Tower at Guilford College UMC

The Bell Tower at Guilford College United Methodist Church is the highest point of the sprawling church complex located at 1205 Fleming Road. The bell tower was built as part of the 1988 construction of the new sanctuary under the supervision of then pastor Dr. J.C. Groce. We believe it was dedicated to the memory of his daughter, Jennifer, who died in a car accident. 

For centuries, bell towers have been found on church grounds and attached to civic buildings worldwide. They are used to mark time or to announce present and imminent danger. Bell towers can also be referred  to as a belfry or a campanile. The GCUMC belltower in the photo above, against the backdrop of the sizzling blue sky, is reminiscent of something found in California. The white tower glows in the afternoon setting sun. 

In June, the church celebrated its 50th anniversary. While  the first worship service was held in the Guilford College Student Union in 1959, with 57 persons in attendance, it is not affiliated with Guilford College, a local institution of higher education started by Quakers. We had the good fortune of meeting current Pastor Tom Gibson and his wife. Pastor and Mrs. Gibson were hospitable and welcoming to us, as we were traipsing about the church grounds snapping photos right and left. Guilford College United Methodist Church congregants are lucky to have this charming, energetic husband and wife team at the helm. 

We hope you have a restful, reflective, and spiritually renewing Sacred Sunday-- regardless of your belief system.

Comments

[Greensboro Daily Photo]

On Saturday, in Jerusalem, there was a terrible fire in the Franciscan Monastery. If you to the blog, Jerusalem Hills Daily Photo you can read about it and see pictures.

http://jerusalemhillsdailyphoto.blogspot.com/2009/09/forest-fire-on-monastic-grounds.html

Please keep this community in your thoughts.

[Greensboro Daily Photo]

Hilda in Manila has a very interesting Sacred Sunday post about Catholicism in the Philippines today:

http://manila-photos.blogspot.com/2009/09/first-five.html

And Monastery Daily Photo always has something interesting about religion:

http://monasterydailyphoto.blogspot.com/

[Dina in Jerusaelm]

A bell tower is good from any angle.

I just wrote a long comment and got an error message. Trying again.
Thanks for your link and prayers. Today is again hot, dry, and windy. Our whole village ALMOST got evacuation orders yesterday.
I have been housesitting a very old house on the Franciscan property this week, and the responsibility weighs heavy upon me now.
Meanwhile I try to help the monastery folks by opening the door to a hot shower, a cell phone charge, an e-mail check, freezer space, etc. while they have no electricity.

[FA]

1959 was a good year for Christ!

Thanks for your commentary on this photo. The idea of the wife of a pastor is very foreign to me, although we do have married deacons. I am always amazed how involved the wife of a deacon is in the ministry.

Prayers continue for Dina and the fire near her!

Happy Sacred Sunday! - glad to see Hilda is joining us.

[Jacob]

Love bell towers, and if I spot one, I always try to photograph it. This is very well done! Etched into the sky!

I also appreciated your commentary.

By the way, Ocala calls itself the "Horse Capitol of the World," with some justification - more than 200 horse farms are located here, from which came a number of top-notch race horses. Horse racing is big business and many of our local farms are owned by folks from all over the world.

Ocala and its horse farms are set amidst rolling hills and majestic oaks. It's really quite beautiful and very different from South Florida.

[nadine1111]

Nice composition.Good sky.Greeting!

[Belle]

A few years ago I'd have to pay someone for this inforamiotn.